LAWRENCE — Police say a 21/2-year-old French bulldog died on a sun-baked balcony and another dog nearly perished because the pets’ owner left them there all day without food or water.

Ryan Colon, 21, of 20 Knox St., was arrested yesterday on animal cruelty charges in a case that appalled the police and firefighters involved in efforts to rescue the dogs after a concerned neighbor called the police.

“This is one of the worst cases of neglect or cruelty of an animal that I’ve seen in my whole career — almost 40 years of police work,” Lawrence police Chief John Romero said.

“Dehydration is a terrible way for an animal to die. It’s amazing that people could do that to any living being. The dogs weren’t beaten but were abused in the way they were left in conditions that killed one and almost killed the second,” the chief said.

The dead dog named Lola had an internal temperature of 108 degrees, according to a veterinarian at the Andover Animal Hospital who examined the corpse. The probable cause of death was listed as hyperthermia or heat exhaustion. The second dog was treated at Pleasant Valley Animal Hospital, where its internal body temperature was measured at 104 degrees.

Colon could face up to five years in state prison if convicted. He was due to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court today. He told Officer Kevin Schiavone that he had put the dogs on the balcony of his apartment at 2 a.m. before leaving for work on Wednesday.

Oh, and let’s not forget the part where he was breeding these dogs. Oh, of course he was. If we didn’t have idiots like this, where would the next generation of baked and broiled dogs come from? But, hey – just one litter, according to his brother:

This story is absolute Bull! My brother was good to his dogs he took very good care of them. The story mentions that they were outside since 2 am thats crap. And it says that he has had multiple litters with these dogs he has only had one litter.

Ok, this is AWFUL! Absolutely! Tragic, sad, devistating.. all of the above! HOWEVER, the comment saying… “let’s not forget the part where he was breeding these dogs….If we didn’t have idiots like this, where would the next generation of baked and broiled dogs come from? But, hey – just one litter…” I disagree with! Why?? Because I OWN one of these puppies, she is 6 months old and is very well taken care of, happy, healthy, up to date on ALL of her shots, and getting ready to be fixed next month. So, please… save it. This is an upsetting situation, 100%. Whether it was, or was not “an accident,” I don’t know for sure. And either does anyone else, aside from Ryan and his family. Whom, I believe is telling the truth, and it WAS an accident, just a very very awful one. Personally, no, I would never make ths mistake, I can say that with confidence. But, then again, we are all different.

“We are all different”? Well, yes – you can say that again! Some of us manage, on a daily basis, to not bake our French Bulldogs on a balcony!

God, I am so sick of reading ‘this was a tragic mistake’ or ‘he made on simple little mistake’. He left his dogs alone in an apartment, while he stayed someplace else – and, if that wasn’t bad enough, he then managed to lock them outside, in the heat, on a balcony, with no food or water. Hey, ever heard of taking your dogs for a walk to let them go to the bathroom, instead of sticking them out on your apartment balcony?

You think it’s ‘ok’ that this moron didn’t know enough about Frenchies to not leave them out on a balcony? You think it’s ok that he left for work, apparently at 2 am (and what bartender leaves for work at 2?) and didn’t come back for 24 hours? Accident? No, I don’t think so. Neglect? Definitely. These aren’t cats, for God’s sake – who leaves their dogs alone for 24 hours without checking on them?

You have one of his puppies? Good for you, and I’m glad you love it, but that still doesn’t negate the fact that this is a careless, clueless, irresponsible kid, breeding dogs he knows nothing about and is apparently incapable of caring for.

You’ll find NO sympathy for this dick here, and I am not the slightest, tiniest bit ‘sorry’ for him. I hope they keep his other dog, and toss his ass in a smoking hot jail cell, where he gets butt raped by a big, mean dog lovin’ gang member. Without lube.